Chapter 165: Whispers Of Bloodlust

As Elias held Hellcaller, his fury, bloodlust, and need for dominance increased multiple folds, as though the blade forged from the spine of the ancient demon lord was whispering directly into his mind.

The black smoke rolling from the sword thickened around his hand and crept along his arm, while his grin widened as he stared at Charles.

Charles’s pale body blurred, and his scythe-like arm swung toward Elias’s neck with terrifying speed.

Elias leaned backward.

The curved blade passed barely above his throat, and he immediately stepped forward, driving Hellcaller toward Charles’s abdomen.

Charles twisted his body, causing the sword to pass by his sides, but the moment the black smoke touched the dark Aura coating his body, something strange happened.

The black Aura at that spot violently twisted.

It shuddered across the pale flesh as though it had suddenly become unstable, and then several portions of it scattered into the air before disappearing completely.

Elias’s eyes sharpened, and he noted in his head, ’So that is how it corrupts Aura.’

He immediately twisted the dark katana and swung it at the exposed region.

Hellcaller swept upward toward Charles’s ribs, and the blade tore through the unprotected flesh, opening a deep wound beneath his ribs.

Blood poured out of it, but Charles did not react to it.

Instead, his scythe came swinging toward Elias’s chest.

The curved blade struck his armor with a deafening clang, crushing part of the metal inward and forcing him several steps backward.

A sharp pain spread through his chest, but Elias simply grinned and slashed upward, nearly cutting through Charles’s head.

Charles jumped back.

Elias stared at him. He had knowingly allowed him to land the attack so he could seize the opportunity to respond with an even deadlier strike.

The wound was non-lethal, and he could easily heal it.

He placed a hand on his chest and mumbled, "Heal."

Elias wound began to stitch back together, and Charles lunged again.

Elias lowered his body and allowed the scythe to pass over his head before driving Hellcaller toward Charles’s exposed shoulder.

The black smoke once again touched the Aura coating Charles’s body, and the blade carved through the exposed flesh and bit into the scythe-like arm.

CLANG!

A metal fragment of the scythe flew across the training ground.

Charles stared at his damaged arm for barely a moment before swinging again.

Elias laughed.

"Hahaha!"

He stepped directly into the attack.

The scythe tore across his upper arm, cutting through the armor and opening a shallow wound, but Elias ignored it and swung Hellcaller toward Charles’s neck.

Charles bent backward, narrowly avoiding the blade.

Elias twisted his wrists and immediately reversed the direction of the sword.

Hellcaller swept toward Charles’s exposed abdomen.

The blade struck and black smoke spread across the wound, causing Charles’s Aura to fall apart.

Blood spilled from the cut. Yet the monster continued attacking.

His scythe swept horizontally toward Elias’s waist.

Elias jumped over it and landed close enough that their bodies nearly touched.

Hellcaller thrust forward toward Charles’s chest, but Charles twisted aside, and the blade only pierced through the flesh near his shoulder.

At the same time, Charles slammed his other arm into Elias’s ribs.

BOOM!

Elias was thrown sideways and rolled across the stone.

His armor had absorbed most of the impact, but pain still spread through his side.

He pushed himself upright and immediately cast Heal.

A faint green light appeared over his wounds, and the cuts across his body slowly closed.

Elias wiped the blood from his lips.

Normally, he would have avoided any attacks that could injure him.

However, under Hellcaller’s mental effect, he saw every non-lethal wound as an acceptable price for another opportunity to strike.

Charles charged again, and Elias responded.

The two figures collided in the center of the training ground, and their weapons moved faster than ordinary human eyes could follow.

Charles swung his scythe toward Elias’s head.

Elias ducked beneath it and slashed toward his exposed stomach.

Charles twisted, and the blade cut across his side.

The Aura around the wound fell apart, and Elias immediately attacked the exposed region, cutting through flesh and leaving a long wound.

Charles retaliated by sweeping his scythe toward Elias’s shoulder.

Elias shifted only slightly.

The blade tore through his shoulder armor and grazed his flesh.

He ignored the pain and stepped forward.

Hellcaller crashed against Charles’s scythe-like arm.

CLANG!

Another fragment chipped away.

Charles’s hollow eyes remained emotionless as he swung again.

Elias blocked.

The impact drove him backward, but he twisted his wrists and redirected the scythe before lunging toward Charles’s chest.

Charles attempted to evade, and the hellcaller still pierced his abdomen.

Black smoke poured into the wound, and the Aura coating his body immediately became violent, twisting and scattering until a large portion of his torso was left unprotected.

Elias pulled the sword free and swung again.

The blade carved across Charles’s chest.

Blood sprayed across the stone. Still, Charles did not stop.

He stepped forward through the wound and brought his scythe down.

Elias raised Hellcaller to block.

The impact forced him onto one knee.

The stone beneath him cracked, and pain shot through his arms.

Charles twisted his scythe and struck again.

Elias rolled sideways at the exact moment.

The blade crashed into the ground where his head had been, splitting the stone and sending fragments flying.

Elias rose immediately and attacked from the side.

Hellcaller bit into his thigh. Blood flowed down his leg, and he staggered backward.

Elias smiled and said in an amused tone, "Let’s see how long you can continue."

Charles responded by lunging forward with his arm raised high.

Elias stepped toward him and their body crossed the training ground.

For a brief instant, neither moved, and then blood spilled, painting the ground crimson.

Elias’s moved his gaze downward, and his eyes widened upon seeing that the scythe had pierced deeply into his left side.

Charles had lowered his scythe at the very last moment, causing the momentum itself to lead to this.

"Shit..."